This invention relates in general to medicine cabinets, and, in particular, to a medicine cabinet having lamps positioned about its entire outwardly facing periphery. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiment and/or use which is shown and described for purposes of illustration, this invention relates to a mirrored medicine cabinet having soft diffused lighting emitted about its entire peripheral edges and enabling the mirrored portions of the cabinet to be positioned to provide full-face viewing with varying light exposure on one using the cabinet mirrors.
Medicine cabinets for use in a bathroom are available in various configurations, and may be mounted either free standing on the interior wall of a bathroom, or mounted into the bathroom wall to provide a more flush appearance. Some of these cabinets are available in a multitude of designs and configurations to enhance the aesthetics of a bathroom or powder room. Such cabinets are available in a tri-view mirrored configuration wherein the cabinet is closed by three doors having their outer surface mirrored. These mirrored doors may be positioned to provide a full face image to the viewer, covering both the frontal reflection of the face and portions of the side of the head which may be varied in accordance with the positioning of the mirrors. In other tri-view mirrored cabinets, the cabinet enclose is closed by a single door having an outer mirrored surface. One of a pair of wing mirrors is positioned and supported at each side of the cabinet to be positioned by the viewer for the same purpose.
In order to better utilize these mirrors, they are sometimes combined with separate overhead lamps, such as individual lamps, positioned above the upper peripheral edge of the mirror. With some cabinets, a vertically disposed lamp is positioned between the central mirrored surface and each adjacent side mirror along the joinder portion so that light can be projected against a user to minimize unwanted shadowing, or to increase the light directed onto the face of a user as desired.
These prior art medicine cabinets, however, have not been entirely satisfactory in that the light is not uniformly applied. The light that is applied to a user is generally harsh, and frequently creates undesirable shadowing on the user's face. The present invention provides soft or diffused lighting about the entire peripheral edge of the medicine cabinet. In combination with the positioning of the mirrored cabinet doors, this lighting also eliminates the projection of harsh light onto a user. A soft or diffused light is provided which may be directed onto the user's face minimizing shadowing, enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the cabinet, and providing a soft diffused light to be applied to a person using the mirrors.